


Blood Wedding

by Luka



Series: Iceman [11]
Category: Primeval
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-08-10
Updated: 2008-08-10
Packaged: 2017-10-11 23:52:37
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,024
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/118532
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Luka/pseuds/Luka
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>  The rollercoaster changes in Stephen's life continue</p>
            </blockquote>





	Blood Wedding

  
  
  
  
  


**Entry tags:**

| 

  
[abby](http://lukadreaming.livejournal.com/tag/abby), [blade](http://lukadreaming.livejournal.com/tag/blade), [claire](http://lukadreaming.livejournal.com/tag/claire), [connor](http://lukadreaming.livejournal.com/tag/connor), [ditzy](http://lukadreaming.livejournal.com/tag/ditzy), [fic](http://lukadreaming.livejournal.com/tag/fic), [finn](http://lukadreaming.livejournal.com/tag/finn), [iceman](http://lukadreaming.livejournal.com/tag/iceman), [kermit](http://lukadreaming.livejournal.com/tag/kermit), [lyle](http://lukadreaming.livejournal.com/tag/lyle), [nick](http://lukadreaming.livejournal.com/tag/nick), [ryan](http://lukadreaming.livejournal.com/tag/ryan), [series](http://lukadreaming.livejournal.com/tag/series), [slash](http://lukadreaming.livejournal.com/tag/slash), [stephen](http://lukadreaming.livejournal.com/tag/stephen)  
  
  
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Title:  Blood Wedding  
Author: Luka  
Characters: Stephen Hart, Tom Ryan, Nick Cutter, Abby Maitland, Connor Temple, Jon Lyle, Ditzy, Finn, Blade, Kermit, Claire  
Rating: 18  
Disclaimer: Not mine (apart from Claire), I'm just playing and won't make a penny out of them. I'll put them back when I'm finished, honest!  
Spoilers: Nope.  
Pairing: Stephen/Ryan  
Summary:  The rollercoaster changes in Stephen's life continue  
A/N: Number 11 in The Iceman series. Jon Lyle and the rest of the SF lads appear by kind permission of [](http://fredbassett.livejournal.com/profile)[**fredbassett**](http://fredbassett.livejournal.com/) (and thanks to her, as always, for the beta). There are links to the earlier stories at the top of my LJ.

  


Claire grinned smugly. "About damn time. Now, I'll research some options and you can let me know which you fancy. When are you thinking of?"

Ryan and Stephen looked at each other and shrugged. "Soon as, I suppose," said Ryan.

"You're not inviting anyone from the other side of the world who's going to have to book an air ticket?"

"Nope."

"A lot of places will be booked up well in advance. September might be worth thinking about, as that's far enough ahead that people's diaries shouldn't be jam-packed. Have you made a guest list?"

Ryan shook his head.

Claire sighed and pulled a notepad and pen out of her handbag. "Right, let's make a start."

"Um … Family first. My Gran, Trudy and Ed and the two sprogs. I suppose we'd better invite my mother, but she won't come. Then mates from home. Dan and Nat. Nick and Gail. Jonny and Ruth. Graham and Lucy. Then the Hereford lot. Sadie. You and Ditz, Cara and Kermit, Blade and Jane, Finn and whoever the latest girl is …"

"Tanya. Looks like this one might be serious."

"Gawd, I'll believe that when I see him in his monkey suit walking down the aisle. Lyle and Lester. Major Preston and his missus, Stringer and Nikki …"

Ryan reeled off another dozen Special Forces lads and partners, most of whom Stephen couldn't place. He didn't mind the fact he wouldn't know most of them – he wanted Tom to have a day to remember, surrounded by all his family, friends and colleagues.

"Stephen, who would you like to invite?" Claire touched his arm.

"Cutter, I suppose. And Claudia. Connor and Abby." He couldn't think of anyone else. Claire was staring at him expectantly.

"And …?"

He shrugged. "That's it. There's not really anyone from work I'm bothered about inviting."

"Family?"

"None," he said firmly.

Claire nodded and didn't pursue the matter. She did a quick tot-up. "Looks like there's about 60. Have another think to see if there's anyone you've forgotten, and I'll phone round a few venues and get some quotes. Any preferences for where it's held?"

"Nope. We'll leave it to your skill and judgement," said Ryan.

Stephen was very quiet after Claire had gone. About 4.30pm Ryan suggested they went for a run. They covered six miles at a steady pace, largely in silence. Back at the house Ryan showered first and made a start on the evening meal while Stephen washed and changed.

Even though it was steak and baked potato, Stephen picked at his food. He looked tired and drained.

"Sorry … I'm just not hungry."

"Don't worry." Ryan kissed the top of his head. "You feeling OK?"

"Tired. Dunno if I'm going down with something."

"Have an early night and see what you feel like in the morning."

Stephen nodded, touched Ryan's cheek and headed off upstairs. But when Ryan crawled into bed several hours later, he was still awake and staring at the ceiling.

"Come here …" Ryan pulled him into his arms. He didn't feel either hot or chilled, and Ryan started to wonder …

"Go on, say it …" Stephen was watching him unblinkingly.

And it was as if Stephen was reading his mind. Ryan had made a pact with himself never to bullshit Stephen. "If you're feeling railroaded by the whole thing, say … Claire's a bit scary when she gets going on something. We could elope to Gretna Green and get hitched on the quiet if you'd prefer that."

"No way!" Stephen looked horrified. "I want you to have a fabulous day with all your friends and family around you …"

"Isn't what you want important as well?" said Ryan quietly.

"I have you and that's all I want." Stephen wriggled round so that his right arm was encircling Ryan's waist and his head was pillowed on the soldier's chest. "You must think I'm a sad fucking loser."

"I don't." Ryan combed his fingers through Stephen's spiky hair.

"I'm getting hitched to the bloke of my dreams and I can only think of four people I want to invite, and one of those is my boss who I'm only inviting because it'll look bad if I don't."

"If you asked them, I think you'd find that Ditzy and the lads count you as a friend now." Ryan wasn't exaggerating. The assumption now was that Stephen was part of their social scene and they treated him as if he'd always been there. And Stephen seemed genuinely relaxed around them.

"They're a great bunch. But …" Stephen shrugged, his hair tickling Ryan's chin.

"If your parents turn up, I promise I'll turn a fucking rocket launcher on them myself. But what about the couple you lived with? Are you still in touch with them?"

"The Reynolds? Yes, I suppose so. We exchange Christmas cards, and I always go and see them when I'm in Yorkshire."

"Would you like it if they came?"

"I would, but they're church-goers and I don't know if …" His voice trailed off.

"Ask them. Anyone from school you're still in touch with?"

"Only Kirsty. Her parents had the next farm down from the Reynolds. You'll like her."

"Good. University friends?"

"Well, I dunno, there's Gaz and Chris and Charlie. We meet up for a drink when I go to London. And I did go to their weddings …"

"Anyone else from work apart from Nick?"

"Not really. I dunno, it's like I've spent too long with Nick and not made the effort to get to know other people properly. You know how territorial Nick is."

"Yeah," said Ryan, resisting the temptation to make a sarcastic comment.

"Maybe I should invite Paul and his girlfriend. You know, who I rented the flat from. They're getting married in August and I've got an invite to that. Which reminds me, you'll come as the plus one, won't you?"

"Of course. And we'll add them all to the list in the morning, shall we?"

Stephen nodded. "Thanks. I'd better phone the Reynolds first, though. They probably don't have a clue what a civil partnership is."

~*~*~*

Ryan headed off to the base at 8.30am the next morning. Stephen had already decided he was working from home that day, so he fired up the laptop and started working on a conference paper. He kept an eye on the clock – the best time to phone the Reynolds was mid-morning, when they'd done all the farm chores and were sitting down for a mug of tea and some home-made biscuits. He could picture the big kitchen with its Rayburn, rugged pine table and flagstone floor as clearly as anything. Uncle Jos and Aunt Dot, as he'd eventually learned to call them, would be flicking through the local paper and commenting occasionally on items that caught their eye.

Before he could have second thoughts, he dialled the number. A familiar gruff voice answered within four rings and said: "North Ridge Farm."

"Uncle Jos, it's Stephen."

"Hello lad. You up our way?"

"No, I'm in Hereford."

"What you doing there?"

"I've moved here."

"New job?"

"No. I've …"

"Spit it out, lad."

"I've moved in with my partner, and that's why I'm phoning."

"Wedding bells?"

"Well, sort of. Civil partnership bells. My partner's a he. We'd like you to come to the ceremony."

There was a long silence. Stephen could hear Radio 4 on low in the background, as always.

"Can't say as I know much about all these new-fangled things, but it sounds like congratulations are in order."

"Thank you."

"You talk to Dot now about the details. I'll hand you over …"

There was muttering in the background, and then Aunt Dot's voice said: "Is that you, Stephen?"

"Yes, Aunt Dot."

"Jos says you're getting married to another lad. Is that right, or has he got it all wrapped round his neck?"

"He's right. It's a civil partnership and we'd like you both to come."

"Joyce Norman's son had one of those," she said unexpectedly. "You remember them?"

"The family who lived by the pub?"

"That's them. He's an actor." It was said in tones of 'well, that explains it all.' "Now, when's it taking place?"

"September, we think. Will you come?"

"Of course we will. You'll have to put up with Jos in his one and only suit, though. I wonder where my hat is. So what's his name?"

"Tom. He's a soldier."

"Are you going to tell your mother and father?"

"No. They turned up on the doorstep the other day."

"I didn't know they were back in England." She sounded horrified.

"Neither did I. They didn't stay long."

"Your choice or theirs?"

"Mine. And I told them not to come back."

"Good boy." Her brisk voice had softened appreciably. "And I assume you won't be inviting that sister of yours?"

"No. I haven't seen her since they went."

"No loss. Right, we'd better get on. Jos is mithering about the sheep in the top field. You send us the details, Stephen, and we'll come."

"I'm really pleased, Aunt Dot. See you soon."

"You take care, lad."

He found Kirsty's number in his address file on the laptop. She ran a nursery school and he knew it would be better to phone her in the evening. But he was on a roll and wanted to do it while his courage held.

"Red Barn Nursery, Kirsty speaking, no Benjy, don't do that!"

"Kirsty, it's Stephen. Stephen Hart."

"Oh, are you coming to take me away from all of this? Daniel, put that down now, please!"

"Not exactly. I'm getting hitched and want you to come to the ceremony."

She shrieked so loudly he had to hold the phone at arm's length.

"I can't believe it! Who is she and do I know her and will I approve of her?"

"It's not a she, it's a he."

The second shriek nearly deafened him.

"Stephen Hart, are you winding me up?"

"No, honest."

"So who is he? I want chapter and verse. Nathan, you mustn't hit Grizelda with that stick, you'll hurt her. Listen, Stephen, are you going to be around about 2pm?"

"Um, yes …"

"The brats will be having their nap then, so I'll phone you for the full story. You've got a lot of explaining to do!"

~*~*~*

"Professor, I assume the university has confidentiality rules when it comes to passing on staff and student addresses to outsiders?" Ryan loomed over Cutter who was sitting on the grass waiting impatiently for Stephen, Lyle and Ditzy to come back from a reconnaissance.

"That's correct." Cutter seemed distracted, as always.

"Then perhaps you'd like to explain why you handed out mine and Stephen's address to two complete strangers."

"Oh. They were his parents and wanted to contact him urgently."

"So they claimed."

"They weren't …?"

"You could have told Stephen they were trying to contact him and given him the option of getting in touch with them, rather than them turning up unannounced on the doorstep."

"Well, yes, but …"

"Didn't it occur to you that he hadn't given them the address for a good reason?"

"I assumed because he'd not long moved …"

"You assumed wrong and you put him in a very unpleasant and difficult position. And given my job, I don't appreciate my address being handed out willy-nilly."

"I'm sorry." Cutter looked mortified.

"Yeah, I'm sure you are. For an intelligent man, Cutter, you're incredibly fucking dense." Ryan walked off.

~*~*~*

"Oh Stephen, that's fabulous! Congratulations!" Abby hugged him hard, and instinctively he picked her up and twirled her round, enjoying hearing her giggle. "So when's the big day?"

"September, probably. We're trying to decide on dates and a location at the moment."

"I'm so pleased for you both …"

And he knew she was telling the truth. Once they'd got over those early misunderstandings, Abby had turned out to be a good colleague and a trustworthy friend.

They pored over the laptop, trying to plot the Triceratops' progress. The creatures had faces only their mothers could love, and they seemed remarkably at home in the Forest of Dean, snacking benignly on the foliage and giving rather over-exuberant nudges with their horns when a couple of the Special Forces soldiers got too close. A very pissed-off Ditzy had been kept busy stitching up some nasty gashes while delivering high-volume bollockings about keeping your distance from the monsters.

"Oh wow, they're so cool …" Connor bounced over and leaned over to see what Stephen and Abby were looking at.

"Connor, stop breathing down my neck," said Abby irritably.

"The professor's not looking very happy. The Captain's just given him an earful."

"What about?" asked Abby, scrolling down the map they'd created.

"I dunno …"

Stephen reckoned he could guess, but kept quiet.

"Hey Connor, you'll have to buy a new waistcoat and hat."

"Why? What's wrong with these?"

"The Captain and Stephen are getting hitched."

"And you're invited," added Stephen.

"Oh wow …"

"Cool," they all chorused, and burst out laughing.

"Well, it _is_ cool," said Connor defensively. "Congratulations, Stephen." And they shook hands rather formally.

A shout went up from the trees and three Triceratops ambled out, a horde of Special Forces troops dancing attendance. One of the creatures stopped to devour a tasty buddleia before they all sauntered over to the anomaly and disappeared through it.

"I think it's their dinnertime calling," said Connor.

~*~*~*

"I hear you gave Cutter a bollocking …" Stephen lay back on the pillows and shivered as Ryan's tongue licked his cock from root to tip.

"Yep." Ryan paused before turning his attention to Stephen's balls.

"Oh Christ!" Stephen adored having his balls sucked and tended to be very vocal when that happened. "What did he say? Yeah, that's fabulous!"

"I've heard of multi-tasking, but this is ridiculous …" Ryan flicked the tip of Stephen's cock, then traced his finger down it and squeezed his balls en route to probing at Stephen's arse with his forefinger.

"Get on with it!"

"You'll need to be specific there …"

Stephen wriggled, impaling himself on the inquisitive finger. "What did you say to Cutter?"

"I just reminded him of the university's policy of not handing out staff and student addresses to passers-by just because they claim to be relatives."

"What did he say? Oh yes, fuck …" A second finger had Stephen spreading his thighs even wider to give Ryan access.

"Just the usual self-pitying shit about how he didn't think, which is the story of his fucking life." Ryan sat back on his heels and enjoyed the show, as Stephen, eyes closed and head thrown back, fucked himself on Ryan's fingers.

"Tom, please …"

"Please what?" Ryan slid three fingers in deeper and twisted and scissored them.

"Touch me … please …"

Ryan let him sweat for a minute or two, then spat on his left hand and slicked it up and down Stephen's straining dick. "This what you want?"

"Please … Harder …"

Ryan increased the pressure and pace and jabbed his fingers deep inside Stephen whose body seemed to freeze as the climax hit him like a bulldozer.

Ryan sat cross-legged, idly stroking his cock as he watched Stephen return to Planet Earth. "OK?"

Stephen smiled at him, his face and hair damp with sweat. "Amazing. I thought it was going to be too much, that I couldn't stand it … Now if you could have stuck your cock in my mouth, it'd have been perfect …"

Ryan laughed. "And I'd have been signed up by the circus afterwards for being a contortionist."

"Hey, you haven't come."

Ryan shrugged, jerking his cock.

"Don't … Fuck my mouth, Tom." Stephen scooted round so that he was on his back, head hanging off the edge of the bed. Ryan stood over him and watched as his prick disappeared into Stephen's mouth. They'd done it like this once before, and Ryan had nearly gone into orbit when Stephen deep-throated him. He had a nagging suspicion that Stephen had picked this up from the online porn, but he wasn't about to ask.

Ryan watched transfixed as Stephen swallowed him to the root, gorgeous lips stretched obscenely around the bulk filling his mouth. Ryan couldn't help himself and began to fuck the willing throat, turned on by Stephen's helplessness. And just as Stephen began to choke, Ryan unloaded down his throat.

Stephen lay with his eyes closed for a moment or two, his breathing harsh. The sight of some cum trickling from his slightly swollen lips was too much for Ryan, who leaned over and licked it away. He sat on the bed, Stephen's head cradled in his lap, stroking his hair.

Stephen opened his eyes and regarded him seriously. "Was that OK?"

Holy shit, thought Ryan, it's like I have to award marks for performance. Living with Stephen felt like walking on sand – two steps forward, three steps back. "It was fucking sensational. But look, if anything we do makes you uncomfortable, you've got to say . . ."

"Of course I would …"

Ryan nodded. And he wanted to believe him.

~*~*~*

"Well, that's one off the list." Stephen was at his laptop, checking emails.

Ryan looked over his shoulder and swore. The guy called Gaz had told Stephen in no uncertain terms that he hated queers and that civil partnerships were freak shows and that he wanted nothing to do with him ever again. "Fucking bigot." He hugged Stephen, kissing the top of his head.

"I dunno why I expected any different from Gaz. He's got a mouth the size of the Mersey Tunnel …"

"What about the other two?"

"Chris and Charlie? Chris'll be fine, I should think. His sister's gay. And Charlie's usually live and let live. But you can never tell … And if they don't come, they don't come."

"I meant what I said the other day. You've got a whole new life now and new friends who like you for what you are …"

"I know. I think I'm the luckiest man in the world … The best day of my life was when I met you."

Ryan kissed him gently. "We've got plenty more good days to come …"

Stephen nodded. "Look, I'm sorry for being a bit weird last night. And I didn't mean it to sound like I wanted marks for artistic merit in bed …"

Ryan had to smile. Stephen was so painfully honest about his shortcomings and hang-ups. "I know you didn't. But you know that I worry when it looks like you're more concerned about my needs than your own. What you want in bed is just as important. Sometimes it's like you don't instigate sex, and wait for me to make the first move . . ."

Stephen pulled him onto his lap, nipped his earlobe and whispered: "In that case, I'd really like you to put clamps on my nipples and a butt plug up my arse and make me stay like that all evening. Then you can fuck me so hard I won't sit down for a week …"

Ryan swallowed hard, wondering if this was progress, or a whole new can of worms that they didn't want to open up. But he couldn't ignore the desire in his body reacting to the husky voice whispering in his ear. And his dick was telling him what it wanted. "Are you …?"

"Deadly serious."

"You're telling me you've got …?"

"Upstairs. I got them in a sex shop when I went in with Lyle. You remember that day you were up in London last week …"

"What?" Ryan had a nasty feeling he didn't want to hear this.

"He was a bit cagey as to why he wanted the stuff and I decided not to ask, in case he told me. The thought of him and Lester and …"

"Yeah, keep that image to yourself, thanks. But I notice you couldn't resist browsing."

Stephen grinned cheekily. "Thought it might be fun to experiment. The guy tried to sell me a cock ring as well, but I said you never had any problem keeping it up."

"Cheers, tell the whole world about me, why don't you?"

"Don't worry, Lyle didn't hear, he was down the other end looking at the whips."

"That really is too much information. Right, let's go and test drive this stuff, then."

~*~*~*

Stephen watched as Ryan lay back in the armchair and unzipped his jeans, easing his cock out of his underpants and stroking it once or twice. He was hard already and looked scarily big.

"So where's all this stuff you bought?"

Stephen produced a carrier bag from the bottom of the wardrobe and tipped the contents out on the bed. There was a pair of nipple clamps, a butt plug shaped like a hand grenade that had seemed like a good idea at the time, and a dildo supposedly modelled on some porn star's cock.

"You going to get those clothes off, then?"

Stephen nodded and started to undress. Ryan looked so fucking hot with his teeshirt pushed up and his cock poking out of his jeans. Fuck, his body was fabulous. Stephen knew that he was in good shape himself, but he didn't have the body definition that Ryan did. He took a deep breath and rubbed his hand through the hair on his chest, tugging at his nipples so that they were hard.

"Fucking perfect for nipple clamps." Ryan's voice was low and hoarse. He licked and chewed each nipple, and Stephen couldn't help wriggling and yelping. "Keep still. And look at me."

Stephen obeyed and yelped at the sudden lance of pain in his left nipple. Ryan's big hands fiddled with the catch, tightening it until Stephen thought he wouldn't be able to stand any more. Then he snapped on the second one, adjusting the fitting so it made Stephen's eyes water. Fuck, he wasn't going to be able to stand these for very long …

"They look fucking amazing," said Ryan, flicking them with his forefinger and smiling as Stephen gasped. "Right, bring that butt plug over … Stand still and stop wriggling, or I'll put this in dry and then you'll really whine …"

Stephen watched as Ryan rubbed lube all over the butt plug, then spread the residue over his fingers.

'Turn round and bend over."

Stephen obeyed, and Ryan slid a finger inside his arse. Another joined it, scissoring and twisting. Stephen wriggled and pushed back onto the fingers. They were withdrawn immediately and something harder and colder began to push into him. Stephen cried out as it met resistance.

"Should have thought of that before you bought it," said Ryan. "Fuck, you're tight."

Stephen closed his eyes and wondered if he should call a halt to this now. His nipples were aching and the pressure in his arse was really starting to burn. Suddenly, though, the plug slid into him and his sphincter muscle clamped tight around the narrow neck.

Ryan's laugh was low and throaty. "Well, that won't be going far …" He flicked the base of it and Stephen whimpered at the sensations it set up. "Stand up and let's have a look at you. Next time you and Lyle go on one of your shopping trips, buy a ball gag. It'll look fabulous in your pretty mouth. Now, you going to take care of this for me?"

Stephen knelt down awkwardly and swallowed Ryan's cock. He still wasn't very good at blowjobs, particularly given how wide Ryan's prick stretched his mouth. Sometimes it felt like he was going to choke. But he reckoned he'd got at least three-quarters of it down his throat. His fingers squeezed Ryan's balls and he was rewarded with a muffled oath. Stephen looked up and grinned, and saw Ryan shiver.

"You look so fucking gorgeous … Oh shit!" He grabbed the back of Stephen's head and thrust vigorously half a dozen times. Stephen tried to relax and swallowed, licking his lips.

Ryan groaned again, and kissed him long and hard before yanking him to his feet. "Right, let's go downstairs and see about something to eat. And no, I'm not doing anything about your stiffie. You'll have to wait."

~*~*~*

Ryan wasn't quite sure how he kept his hands off Stephen for the next three or four hours. He looked absolutely incredible, his hair tousled, his cheeks flushed and his lips slightly swollen from the face fucking. His nipples looked like they'd been made for clamps, and his tight, smooth arse twitched enticingly as it flared around the plug.

Ryan made pasta for dinner and they ate it at the kitchen table, with Stephen wriggled and moaning every so often. They then stretched out on the sofa to watch a film – not that Ryan could remember a damn thing about it, as he'd spent most of it tweaking the nipple clamps and fiddling with the butt plug, which was wedged in tight. Eventually he took pity on Stephen, who was like a cat on hot bricks.

"Right, that's enough. When I come upstairs in five minutes, I want to see you on the bed, arse in the air." Ryan took his time locking up and turning the lights out. So he wasn't surprised to see Stephen fidgeting and twitching. Ryan reached beneath him and pulled the clamps off. Then, as Stephen was swearing and trying to rub his sore nipples, Ryan yanked the butt plug out and pushed his cock straight in. Stephen shrieked loud enough to raise the dead, and Ryan knew they'd be getting smiles and winks from Sadie for the next few days.

Ryan held still, giving Stephen a moment to adjust, and felt the stretched passage start to clench around the new intruder. "OK?"

"Yeah … Just full …" Stephen's voice was husky and breathless.

Ryan began to stroke his hips and thighs, then licked and kissed across his shoulders and down his spine and felt Stephen start to relax.

"God, you're so fucking tight …" Ryan's voice was hoarse, and he groaned as Stephen clenched even tighter around him. "You're going to kill us both …"

Stephen laughed out loud and started to play with his cock. "God, it feels fucking amazing. You're stretching me …" Ryan's hand closed over his and squeezed his cock, and Stephen cried out as he came, falling forward with Ryan on top of him. Ryan hammered half a dozen times hard into the spasming arse, suddenly aware that the voice shouting and swearing at the intensity of it all was him.

He withdrew gently, feeling Stephen flinch. "Hey, are you OK?"

"Fuck, yeah, that was out of this world, like it was all too much … But Christ, I'm not going to sit down for a week after I've had that big lump of silicone, then you rearranging my insides for me!"

Ryan reached into the bedside drawer and pulled out a small tube of antiseptic cream. "It's your own fault for trying to prove something, but this might ease the pain a bit."

"I wasn't trying to prove anything … Ow, that's cold!" Stephen wriggled as Ryan's finger stroked the cream inside his reddened and slightly swollen hole.

"Good. And of course you were. It was fucking amazing sex, but we don't always have to swing from the chandeliers. Trust bloody Lyle to lead you into bad ways …"

"I know. Sorry." Stephen kissed him, and Ryan could see him wondering if he'd fucked up again.

Ryan pulled him into his arms. "Stop apologising. It was good fun and we can do it again if you want to. Just ask for what you want, when you want, and I'll be happy. OK?"

"OK," mumbled Stephen, his eyes closing as he cuddled close to Ryan.

~*~*~*

The place was teaming with Special Forces personnel. Both Ryan and Lyle's teams were there, and Stephen thought there might be some others he hadn't seen before. He could understand the paranoia – the Future Predator was the most terrifying thing Stephen had ever seen.

Ryan and Lyle were deep in conversation, and it looked to Stephen like they were arguing. After maybe 15 minutes, Ryan came over to Nick.

"Professor, this is how it's going to work. I'll accompany you with Dawson, Marsh and O'Neill. Lieutenant Lyle will stay here and oversee the operation on this side of the anomaly. If we don't return within 30 minutes, a reserve party will come through and assess the situation."

Ryan looked over and caught Stephen's eye. They were getting used to non-verbal exchanges, and the meaning here was unmistakable. Stephen smiled, and nodded. Ryan winked. Then, flanking Cutter, he and the three other soldiers stepped through the anomaly.

Stephen looked at his watch and started to pace. Abby glared at him. "Stephen, cut that out. Come and give us a hand updating the database if you've nothing better to do."

He nodded and followed her over to where Connor had commandeered a trestle table and three chairs. Connor seemed oblivious to everything else going on around him, chattering animatedly about the Future Predator and asking Stephen to check the proportions of the graphic he'd created.

They were so engrossed in the database that it took a moment for them to realise that there was a commotion by the anomaly. Cutter was there alone, surrounded by Lyle and half a dozen Special Forces soldiers, all shouting at him. Stephen leapt up and rushed over.

" … Captain Ryan and the others didn't make it. They're dead."

Stephen's legs went from under him and everything seemed to go dark.

Next thing he knew, he was sitting against a tree, hyperventilating. Abby's arms were round him, and she was whispering meaningless words to him. He couldn't catch his breath, and it felt like he was suffocating.

Lyle was eyeball-to-eyeball with Cutter, his usual trademark cool absent. "Professor, I have to know what happened."

"I don't know … There was nothing we could do …"

"This isn't fucking good enough! Finn, get the professor out of my sight. I'm not leaving comrades' bodies to rot in some fucking prehistoric landscape."

"Lyle, you can't …"

"Oh yes I can, Professor. I can put a fucking bullet through your thick head and call it an accident, and no one will fucking care. Ditzy, Kermit, Tait and Daniels with me, now. Blade, if we're not back in 30 minutes, I want Major Preston here with a clean-up squad."

"Understood. Professor, come with me."

"Blade, make sure there's an ambulance on its way …" Ditzy grabbed his backpack.

"OK, Ditz."

"Stephen, you need to be away from here …" Abby's voice was gentle.

"No! I have to stay!"

"You can't do anything."

"I'm not leaving him. If he's … I have to see …"

And now he knew what people meant when they said their world had collapsed around them. Tom, the most precious thing in his life, the person who'd picked him up and turned his life around, was dead. Fuck, he'd known by the law of averages that it would happen sometime, but not in some fucked-up timeline and killed by genetic freaks. Soldiers like Tom died on the battlefield and were decorated for their bravery. He shouldn't have died for the sake of a government cover-up.

Suddenly there was shouting and yelling, and the Special Forces soldiers, led by Lyle, burst through the anomaly, carrying a body on a stretcher. Abby jumped to her feet.

"Stephen … He's still alive …"

He looked up uncomprehendingly and realised that the bloody mass of ripped flesh on the stretcher was his lover. Lyle yanked Stephen to his feet.

"Stephen, he's alive and he's going to need you by his side."

"Get out of my way," snapped Ditzy, shoving both of them backwards unceremoniously. "Where's that fucking ambulance, Blade?"

"Two minutes off, Ditz. It's been held up in traffic. Is the boss going to …?"

"Hold this and shut up. Finn, you hold this and don't let go of it."

"Oh my god … He's alive …'" Cutter was standing gaping.

Stephen spun around, a red mist descending on him. "Yes, no fucking thanks to you! You left him to fucking die!" His punch knocked Cutter cold.

~*~*~*

Stephen sat in the ambulance, shivering despite the heat. The paramedics were blocking his view of Ryan, and he knew it wasn't good from the way they were working furiously. Ditzy was next to him, his arm tight round Stephen's waist.

"Stephen, they're going to do all they can to save the boss …"

Stephen nodded trying to fight back rising nausea.

"We're losing him!"

Stephen started forward, but Ditzy held him back. "Give them space …"

"What's happened?"

"I think he's arrested."

Stephen began to shake uncontrollably and Ditzy grabbed hold of his hands. "Stephen, listen to me! You've got to be strong for him, he's going to need you there …"

"I'm know, I'm sorry …"

"Nothing to be sorry for. But hang in there. The boss is a fighter. And he won't die now he's found you."

"I've got an output! Let's get this drip in …"

The ambulance picked up speed and Ditzy moved forward and asked one of the paramedics something. There was a short exchange and Ditzy nodded, then returned to his seat.

"What's happening?"

"We're on the motorway and headed for the M5 services where the air ambulance is based. They reckon that if they can keep him alive, he's got a better chance if they can get him to Birmingham rather than any of the nearer hospitals."

"Is that true?"

Ditzy nodded. "All the forces personnel injured in Afghanistan and Iraq go to Birmingham."

"He's arrested again!"

"Oh Christ, he's not going to make it!" Stephen stuffed his knuckles in his mouth.

"Shut up! Of course he is," snapped Ditzy. "If I hear any more of that negative shit from you, you'll be fucking walking to Birmingham!"

"I've got an output again!"

Ditzy took out his phone and hit a speed-dial number. "Jon, it's me. He's arrested twice, but the bastard's hanging on. We're on the M5 and headed for Strensham services. Yeah, the air ambulance. No, I don't know why they didn't send it in the first place. I assume they were going to take him to Gloucester, then changed their minds. Yeah, they'll turf us out at Strensham, so can you get someone to pick us up and take us the rest of the way? What's going on? Oh fuck. I don't envy Preston his job tonight. Yeah, see you later, mate."

Ditzy pushed his phone back into his pocket and rubbed his eyes.

"What's happening?" Stephen had taken several deep breaths.

"There won't be room for us in the helicopter, so Jon's sending someone to pick us up. And they've recovered the other bodies."

"All dead?"

Ditzy nodded.

"I'm sorry …"

"Thanks. Total fucker. Rick Marsh was a top guy. We joined up at the same time. Joe Dawson was about to become a dad for the first time, and Con O'Neill was due to emigrate in two months. Major Preston's at the anomaly raising merry hell and threatening Cutter with I don't know what. And now he's got to let the families know. He always does it himself, rather than palming the shit job off on a minion."

The ambulance suddenly came to a halt and the doors flew open. The change-over happened in seconds and Stephen watched as the helicopter took off within about three minutes of them arriving.

Ditzy shook hands with the two paramedics. "Thanks for all you did, lads."

"Hope he makes it, mate."

"Yeah. Come on, Stephen. We'll get a coffee and wait for the taxi service. Lyle's sending Kermit and he won't be long …"  


 


End file.
